Sand-box for car-tracks



(N0 Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. W. HAM. SAND BOX FOR UAR TRACKS.

Patented Sept. 21, 1897..

(No Model.) 3 Shet-Sheet 2.

A. W. HAM. SAND BOX FOR OAR TRACKS.

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(No Model.) I 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

A.-W. HAM. SAND BOX FOR UAR TRACKS.

No. 590,220. Patented Sept. 21,1897.

nrrn TATES 'ATENT IFFICE.

ALBERT HAM, OF LANSINGBURG, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE TROJAN BUTTONFASTENER COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF TROY, NEIV YORK.

SAND-BOX FORCAR-TRACKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 590,220, datedSeptember 21, 1897.

Application filed February 9,1897. Serial No. 622,596. (No model.)

My invention relates to improvements in sand-boxes which are used tosupply sand to the rails of car-tracks when they become slip: pery, andmore particularly to improvements upon the sand-box described in LettersPatent, granted to me as inventor on the 24th day of March, 1896, No.556,885.

My improvements as set forth herein have for their object to simplifythe construction, to reduce the cost of their manufacture, and toproduce a sand-box in which no valve is used to regulate the supply ofsand delivered to the track, and by which improvement the contingency ofexhausting the supply by excessive use is avoided.

into the distributing-chamber were combined with paddles arranged in thelatter, which} forced the sand to pass into the chute or, spout, withboth sets of paddles arranged so as to be operated by the intermittentmovement of the same shaft, actuated to be rotated by means of aratchet-wheel on the shaft, and a lever pivoted to the latter andprovided with a pawl, which as the lever was reciprocated intermittentlyoperated the paddleshaft.

By my improvement as set forth herein the hopper interior is soconstructed and combined with the sand-distributing chamber as torequire but the use of one paddle, which is actuated by a rock-shaft todeliver into the sand-distributing chamber a regulated quantity of sandat each reciprocation of the paddle.

Accompanying this specification to form part of it there are threeplates of drawings, containing eleven figures, illustrating my intion,with the same designation of parts by letter-reference used in all ofthem.

Of the illustrations, Figure 1 is a perspective of my improved sand-boxwith part of its front wall broken out, so as to show part 7 of theinterior.

. an end View of the back plate.

Fig. 2 is a back view of the sand-box with its rear wall where back ofthe hopper removed and showing the paddlearm, together with therock-shaft, as Well as the .top of the sand-delivery chamber, and partof the concave bottom of the paddlechamber by dotted lines and partshown by full lines. Fig. 3 is a front view of the back plate, with thedownwardly and inwardly inclined guide-plates of the hopper part shownby dotted lines, with the roof of the sand-delivery chamber shown byfull lines, as well as the bottom of the paddle-chamber. Fig. 4 is a topview of the sandbox. Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line or as of Fig.4:. Fig. 6 is Fig. 7 is a perspective of the crank-arm, (shown asdetached,) which as reciprocated actuates the rock-shaft. Fig.8 is aperspective of the paddle, shownas detached. Fig. Me an end View of thesandbox. Fig. 10 is a section 1 taken on the line 00 so of Fig. 9; andFig. 11

In the device shown in my older patent be-} fore named the paddlesoperating to deliver sand in regular quantities from the hopper,

is a perspective of a modified form of paddle, with which there iscombined an upwardlyprojected agitator.

The several parts of the apparatus thus illustrated are designated byletter-reference, and the function of the parts is described a follows:A

The letter H designates the hopper, and D the sand-delivery chamber,which latter is located in front of the hopper and constructed toconnect laterally wit-h the latter by means of a passageway over each ofthe upcurved ends of the paddle-chamber bottom, (designated at P.

The letter O designates the chute or spout approaching each other areconstructed to form an intermediate Passage into the paddle-chamber A,and therefrom these plates at 77. are each projected downwardly andoutwardly to connect with the end walls E E, and

thus roof over part of the chamber A. The space thus inclosed bytheplates 71. is designated at- 723. The passage from the latter to thepaddle-chamber is designated at O, and the hopper interior, into whichthe space bounded by these plates 72 opens out rearwardly, is designatedat 77, and the bottom of the hopper proper is designated at b.

The paddle-chamberA at its rear connects laterally with the hopperproper interior 7L4 and at its front end is inclosed by rear face of thefront plate 1 The letter-P designates the concave bottom of thepaddle-chamber, having the center of its bottom horizontally in linewith the-bottom 1) of the hopper proper. The ends of this concave bottomplate of the paddle-chamber are designated at e c and the passage overthem into the sand-distributing chamber D is designated at p p Theletter S designates the rock-shaft, which is j ournaled into the plate Iof the apparatus.

The letter K designates a crank-arm which at its upper end lc is keyedto said rock-shaft outside of the hopper-wall, and at its lower end thiscrank-arm is adapted to be vibrated between the two stops N N on thefront wall of the hopper, and thus oscillate said rockshaft in itsbearings.

The letter P designates a paddle the arm 19 of which is keyed at itsupper end to the rock-shaft S and is therefrom dependent within thechamber A, and the letter p designates A the paddle-foot, which islaterally projected from the lower'end and rear side of the paddle-arm,with the bottom of this foot arranged just above the upper surface ofthe bottom plate P. Thus constructed and arranged, when the hopper issupplied with sand and the shaft S is oscillated by the vibration of thecrank-arm K a measure of sand will by the movement of the paddle bealternately carried up over each of the upcurved ends of the concaveplate 19, to be discharged into the sand-distributing chamber D, to passtherefrom into the chute or spout C.

The downwardly and inwardly contracted plates 71, inclose Within thehopper H (in connection with the rear side of the plat-e 1 on threesides the area 763, through which latter,

as thus contracted, the sand descends by gravity through the passage 0to the paddlechamber A. These inclined plates, as thus placed, sustainin part the weight of the sand above them and limit the flow of thelatter in its descent. Where these inclined plates 71 curve outwardly toconnect with the hopper sides, they roof in the paddle-chamber and thusprevent the direct passage of the sand into the chamber D and guide itinto the paddle-chamber. The area proper of the hopper is designated ath, the bottom of which (designated at 1)) supports the weight of thesand therein, and by the relative position of which area It the sandcontained therein passes diagonally into the paddle-chamber. As theparts are thus constructed, the paddle is free to vibrate and to carryat each reciprocation a measure of sand over each of the upturned edgesof the paddle-chamber bottom into the chamber D, to descend therefromonto the rail-tracks. While I have shown the paddle as operated by anoscillating rock-shaft, it may be caused to vibrate, as I use it, by anyother Well-known means.

Preferably the apparatus thus described is made of cast metal in threepieces I, I and 1 the latter being a simple plate attached by screws andmade detachable to furnish access to the apparatus interior. The plate Ihas formed integrally with it the sides a a of the hopper I-I within thelatter, the concave bottom of the paddle-chamber, part of the chamber Dwhere below the hopper proper, and part of the spout or chute C for thedelivery of the sand. The plate 1 forms the front and end walls of thesand-distributing chamber, the front wall of the paddle-chamlimit thelatter to their use as integrally made, for the same elements ofconstruction may be employed to perform the same functions that 1describe when made in a greater number of like operating parts.

In the modification shown at Fig. 11 the paddle is provided with anupcast agitator L, arranged to enter the opening 0 and be vibratedtherein by the movement of the paddle. This modification of the paddleis designed to be employed when such sand is used, which under somecircumstances might be inclined to pack and not descend freely, althoughthe use of the agitator is not essential in all cases.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. In a sand-box for cars the combination with a hopper having adownwardly and inwardly contracted area in part of its interior, openingout at its rear side into the interior of the hopper proper; ofapaddle-chamber provided with a concave bottom,and arranged immediatelybeneath said contracted area to connect therewith at the bottom of thelatter; a sand-distributin g chamber arranged at the front of thehopper, and made to connect with said paddle-chamber over the upturnededges of the latter; a rock-shaft journaled in the sand-box near itstop; a paddle attached to, and dependingfrom said rock-shaft to bewithin said paddle-chamber, whereby as saidrockshaft is reciprocatinglyrotated, said paddle will be vibratingly moved in said paddlechamber,and by its movement carry sand over the upturned edges of thepaddle-chamber bottom into the sand-distributing chamber to descendthrough the spout to the track substantially as shown and described.

2. In a sand-box, the combination with a hopper, of a sand-deliverychamber arranged at the side of the hopper, a paddIe-chamber arrangedbeneath the hopper, and provided with a concave bottom; a rock-shaftjournaled in the top of the box; a paddle depending from said rock-shaftwithin said paddle-chamber, whereby as said shaft is reciprocatinglyrotated said paddle will be vibrated in the paddle-chamber, andalternatingly carry a measure of sand over the upturned edges of thepaddle-chamber bottom to enter the distributing-chamber and therefrom'todescend by the spout to the car-track substantially as shown anddescribed.

3. In a sand-box the combination with a hopper, of a sand-distributingchamber arranged at the side of the hopper, and provided with a spout atits lower end a paddlechamber constructed-to receive sand from thehopper, and having a concave bottom; said paddle-chamber connecting Withthe sanddistributing chamber over the upturned edges of saidpaddle-chamber bottom; a rock-shaft journaled in the top of thesand-box; a paddle depending from said rock-shaft within saidpaddle-chamber whereby as said rockshaft is reciprocatingly rotated saidpaddle will be vibrated, and alternatingly carry a measure of sandovereach of the upturned ends of the paddle-chamber bottom to enter thedistributing-chamber, and therefrom desc'end through the spout of thelatter to the car-track substantially as shown and described.

4. The combination with the hopper I-Lhaving the interior areas ha, andh, of the paddle-chamber A, having the concave bottom P, and the topopening 0; the sand-distributing chamber D, arranged in front of thehopper, and provided with the spout O, and constructed to connect withthe paddle-chamber over the upturned edges of the paddle-chamber bottom,and the paddle P provided with means to be vibrated in saidpaddle-chamber, substantiallyas described; I

5. The combination with the hopper H,having the interior areas W, and h,of the paddie-chamber A, having the concave bottom P, and top opening 0;the sand-distributing chamber D, provided with the spout C, andconnecting with the paddle-chamber over the upturned edges of. thelatter; the rock-shaft S; and the paddle P provided with the agitator L,constructed and arranged to be operated substantially in the manner asand for the purposes set forth.

Signed at the city of Troy, New York, this 1st day of December, 1896, inthe presence of the two witnesses whose names are hereto Written.

ALBERT W. HAM.

